Nam Dinh
Đồng bằng sông Hồng
Handyhuy · CC BY-SA 3.0
The scholarly land of Thanh Nam, with the historic Tran Temple, poetic seaside ruined church, and the famous beef pho.
Nam Dinh is the land of Thanh Nam, rich in a tradition of scholarship and the illustrious ancestral homeland of the Tran Dynasty. Tran Temple, with its early-spring seal-opening ceremony, draws tens of thousands seeking good fortune. The coastal area of Nam Dinh is also famous for the desolate Hai Ly Ruined Church and magnificent cathedrals with a European air. Above all, Nam Dinh is regarded as the cradle of Vietnamese beef pho, with a rich, refined flavor that wins the hearts of diners far and near.
Best time to visit: First lunar month (festival season)
Local specialties
- Nam Dinh beef pho
- Xiu pao buns
- Giao Thuy fermented pork
- Siu Chau candy
Places (3)
Tran Temple
A relic site honoring the Tran kings and Tran Hung Dao, famed for its early-spring seal-opening ceremony that draws tens of thousands.
Pho Minh Pagoda
A Tran-dynasty pagoda in Tuc Mac village — the dynasty's ancestral home — with a fourteen-storey tower.
Hai Ly Ruined Church
The seaside ruins of a church worn away by the waves, with a hauntingly desolate beauty beloved by photographers.